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Monday, April 25, 2011

Why Can't Kate just be Common?

There's a lot of chatter about the fact that Kate Middleton is the first commoner to marry an heir to the British throne for about three hundred years. There have been several commoners marry into the Royal family, such as Sarah Ferguson and Mark Philips - only they were commoners but they certainly weren't common, moving in the same circles as royalty. Diana Spencer wasn't royal, which was noted when she married the heir, but she was definitely blue-blooded, wore her family tiara to her wedding and had more English royal blood than her husband.

Kate, on the other hand, is truly a commoner. Some snobs are looking down on this, others (inverted snobs) think the family have stepped "above their station" but I for one, think it's great that it doesn't seem like an arranged marriage, and that Prince WIlliam genuinely loves her (unlike another groom I could mention).

So I'm a little disappointed that her father thought it necessary to have a family crest hastily designed for the wedding. Ok, I know quite a few seemingly regular people who have a family crest so that's not my beef. What I feel sad about is that although everyone thinks it's great that Kate's a commoner, it's just not quite good enough is it? They've had to run out and buy themselves a crest to put on the wedding stationery, (and apparently on all their business stationery).

Anyway, here it is and here's the explanation, which in itself is quite sweet.

17 comments:

Well I think it is good that some *common* blood is going into the Royal Family in the hope it will help stabilise themThe Middletons were from mining stock. Well...... thats fine by me.

I think it is atrocious that they were pressurised into having to have a crest made.

Another thing that I though was strange was that the Queen didn't meet the bride's mother until last week!And..... I feel quite strongly that the bride should be allowed to be called Kate and that they shouldn't insist on Catherine as so many of the Royal Family think she should be called.

I can't abide snobs and I think that everyone should remember that pride comes before a fall!Thats my two h'porth for what it is worth!Maggie X

I agree with the "it doesn't seem like an arranged marriage", thank goodness. Their smiles are contagious and I wish them lots of happiness.As for the crest, I read somewhere that she would require one after she was married, so her dad just preempted that. It's not the worst thing to happen :-)

I thought I read somewhere that the Royal couple's crest is supposed to be an amalgamation of their family crests, and that can't happen unless she has one. But that doesn't make sense to me either because if she's taking his name, then she surely would just use his crest? Not that it really matters to me one way or the other!

I think the crest was unnecessary. Everyone knows their background - especially after the BBC special, Meet the Middletons (hilarious by the way). Kate will go down in history as the first commoner to snag a king - embrace it!

I find I don't really have an opinion on this issue. I guess I'm glad that William is free to marry who he likes, and live a more normal life than some of his predecessors. The crest thing seems a bit silly, but if she has to have one, then she has to have one, I suppose.

She was confirmed into the Church of England recently too. Perhaps she just has a checklist of things she needs to get done, and the crest is one more thing she can tick off.

Well, we have a family crest... Goes back quite a way, apparently. Definitely not royalty, though. Maybe I should dig it up and have it put on some notepaper, the Yanks would love it!

I don't know about having to make one up, though. It does seem a little OTT, but then again I haven't got a daughter about to marry a prince of the realm. Let's face it, if Queen Elizabeth announced that she was popping in for tea tomorrow you'd at least make certain that you had the good stuff and not that Liptons rubbish, wouldn't you? Oh, and stock on the Digestives too, just in case.

Just read a hilarious piece in New Zealand that the neighbours look down on the Middletons because they have a tarmac driveway rather than gravel (which is so much more yew). No wonder he's faffing around with acorns and ribbons, poor bloke he's gone quite mad.

I'm delighted that he is marrying a 'commoner' to bring more normality into the royals, and I think it is wonderful that they have lived together too, having time out of the limelight in Wales before their lives change forever, Kate's especially of course. I rebel against calling her Catherine instead of Kate - unless she hates being called Kate - and I think the crest is soooo non-you and a big mistake, one which will come back to bite him on the toe in the future when the press have run out of nice things to say!

I have been shocked at the way some commentators, even on the BBC, have been patronising and dismissive of Kate because she's not some kind of aristocrat or royal. It makes me feel bad for her the way they keep describing her as "completely common," "completely normal," etc. They're completely ignoring her personality, strength, character, ...

I couldn't agree more. Have you seen some of the absurd headlines about Kate and Wills that have made their way onto the front pages of such credible magazines (note commenter's sarcasm), such as The National Enquirer? Apparently, Charles is already working on the couple's divorce!

Anyway, I'd just like to say how much I like what I have read of your blog. I, too, am English and living in the USA (Indiana, to be exact) and will definitely keep up with your latest articles (I'm following you through my Blogspot website, linked below). Best of luck on your ongoing success as a blogger.